Ron MacLean facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron MacLean
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MacLean in 2006
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| Born | April 12, 1960 |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Employer | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Rogers Media |
| Known for | Co-host of Hockey Night in Canada |
Ron MacLean, born on April 12, 1960, is a famous Canadian sportscaster. He works for the CBC and Rogers Media. Many people know him as the host of Hockey Night in Canada. He hosted the show for many years, from 1986 to 2014, and then again since 2016. He is also a hockey referee!
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Early Life and School Days
Ron MacLean was born in Zweibrücken, West Germany, on April 12, 1960. His father was working there for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). His mother, Sarah "Lila" MacDonald, was also in the RCAF.
When Ron was just over a year old, his family moved back to Canada. They first lived in Chester, Nova Scotia. Later, when Ron was four, his dad was stationed in Whitehorse, Yukon. The family eventually settled in Sylvan Lake, Alberta.
Ron went to high school in Red Deer, Alberta. There, he met his future wife, Cari. After high school, he planned to go to the University of Alberta. However, a friend asked him to fill in at a radio station, CKRD-FM. This led to a job at a TV station, CKRD-TV, and started his amazing career!
Ron MacLean's Career
Hosting Hockey Night in Canada
Ron MacLean started working on Hockey Night in Canada in the 1986–87 NHL season. He began hosting games in Calgary and Toronto. He hosted his first Stanley Cup Finals that spring. Since then, he has been the host for the early games. A big part of his job was hosting Coach's Corner with Don Cherry.
Ron has also been a part of the CBC's Olympics coverage since 1988. He became the main sports host for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. In 1993, he was a reporter on the ice for NBC Sports during the NHL All-Star Game in Montreal. He has also hosted CBC's coverage of the Queen's Plate, a famous horse race.
In 2014, Rogers Media took over the national rights for the NHL. Ron MacLean was no longer the main host of Hockey Night in Canada. However, he kept his role on Coach's Corner. He also became a host for the new, traveling Hometown Hockey broadcasts. But on June 27, 2016, Rogers announced that Ron would return as the host of the early games on Hockey Night in Canada.
On November 9, 2019, something big happened. During Coach's Corner, Don Cherry made some comments that caused a lot of discussion. Ron MacLean apologized the next day for not speaking up at the time. Soon after, Don Cherry was no longer with Sportsnet. On November 16, 2019, Ron MacLean spoke about the event on Hockey Night in Canada. He also announced that Coach's Corner would no longer be on the show.
Hockey Canada Referee
Besides his TV work, Ron MacLean is also a trained hockey referee. He was a Level 5 referee with Hockey Canada. He has refereed games in junior, minor pro, senior, and university leagues across Canada. Most of these games were in Southern Ontario. He even refereed an NHL preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006!
Awards and Special Honours
Ron MacLean has won many awards for his work. He has won eight Gemini Awards from CBC. He won Best Sports Broadcaster in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, and 2001. He also won Best Host or Interviewer in a Sports Program in 2004 and 2006.
In 1996, he was added to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. In 2015, he was inducted into the Oakville Sports Hall of Fame. In 2016, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
He has also received honorary degrees from Lakehead University in 2018 and the University of Alberta in 2019.
Personal Life
Ron MacLean was named an Honorary Colonel for the 1 Air Movements Squadron. This is part of the Canadian Forces' Air Command at 17 Wing Winnipeg.
On June 3, 2010, Ron MacLean helped save a man's life in Philadelphia. The man was trying to jump into the Delaware River. Ron helped rescue him.
In 2010, Ron MacLean and his 1986 Ford Mustang car were featured in an article by The Globe and Mail.
